How to Pair Beer with Food for the Perfect Match
This article takes a different tone. Previously, I shared about beer from a brewer’s perspective. Now, let’s try looking at things from the drinker’s side.
When choosing a beer to go with your meal, how should you pick? Are there any ideas or principles that can help you pair your next beer and dish in harmony, without ruining the flavor of either?
And if we can choose the right beer to match the food we’re enjoying, it might even make both the beer and the food taste better.
Basic Pairing Principles
Before we dive into which styles of beer pair best with what, let’s take a quick look at two main principles for pairing drinks and food. Generally, there are two main approaches:
- Complementing
- Contrasting
Complementing
This means choosing a beer with a similar aroma or flavor profile to the food. For example, a stout with roasted notes goes well with grilled steak or barbecue, as they both share smoky, charred elements that align well together.
Contrasting
This means using a beer with flavors or aromas that are the opposite of the dish, to tone down or balance out its weaknesses. For instance, a Belgian Witbier with citrus peel aromas can help cut through the fishy smell of seafood—just like squeezing lemon onto oysters.
Which Beers Go Best with What?
Now that we’ve got a general idea of the principles, let’s look at 4–5 classic beer styles that are commonly available, and I’ll suggest some Thai dishes that go well with each one.
1. Pilsner
This style is probably the most familiar to Thai drinkers. It’s also incredibly versatile and pairs well with almost any type of cuisine, whether Western or Eastern. If you’re not sure what a Pilsner is, think of the national beer of most countries—chances are, it’s a Pilsner.
For Thai food, I recommend pairing Pilsner with som tam (papaya salad), larb, or nam tok. These bold, spicy dishes work beautifully with the crisp, refreshing qualities of a Pilsner that won’t overpower the food.
2. Belgian Witbier
This style has a soft citrus peel aroma, is easy to drink, and goes well with seafood—grilled fish, steamed prawns, or poached shellfish, for example. The citrus aroma helps reduce the fishy smell, much like adding lemon juice. It also tones down the heat when paired with spicy Thai seafood dipping sauces.
3. German Weizen
Known for its banana and clove aroma from German yeast, this beer goes great with dishes that feature spices or curry. Think massaman chicken curry, green curry, or even tom kha gai. Weizen enhances the aroma of the spices and tones down the heat and richness of the dish.
4. Pale Ale / IPA
Both of these styles are bold and flavorful, thanks to the hops. I often pair them with stir-fried Thai dishes, such as pad kra pao (holy basil stir-fry), which is oily and spicy, or sweeter, richer stir-fries like pad Thai or pad see ew. The bitterness and aroma of hops help cut through the richness.
5. Stout
Dark beer with roasted malt aroma. While it might not be as familiar to Thai drinkers, I think it pairs exceptionally well with Thai grilled meats—grilled pork, grilled beef, grilled chicken. The smoky flavor from grilling complements the roasted notes in a stout. If you’ve never tried stout with grilled pork, give it a shot.
Your Turn
Now that you’ve read through the article, try picking out a beer from Time2Drink and pair it with your favorite Thai dish.
Whether you like it or not, whether it works or not—only you can answer that. Because when it comes to pairing food with beer, there’s no right or wrong. As long as you’re exploring, discovering what you like, and having fun with it—that’s what matters. 🍻
Written by: Nuttorn Wongpoom
